Tuesday, May 06, 2014

Brașov

Just two weeks after the Easter holiday weekend comes the May 1st 4-day weekend (as May 1st falls on a Thursday this year). So again we change plans and head to a larger city with more hotel rooms; more available rooms we hope. And that city is Brașov, the 7th most populous city in Romania located just 100 miles north of Bucharest.

Planning and executing our time in Brasov was complicate by those weather liars. Every night the forecast for tomorrow was "periods of rain" yet the first three days were sunny. The fourth day it did indeed rain and we lit out for Sibiu in the afternoon thus having to save Bran Castle aka Dracula's Castle for another visit.

Day one we excurted to Zarnesti for a hike; another gorge.;)

The next day we visited the fortified church at Prejmer. Unique! Then walked the old walls and towers around Brasov.

Finally, we rode the train to Sinaia, visited Peles Castle, then walked north to Buşteni Station via the hills.

On all these excursions we were rarely alone as Romanians make the most of their holidays by hiking, picnicing and seeing the sights - or all three!

The Clock Tower in Brasov.

Crosswalk.

Day One.

On our way to Zarnesti with fellow day trippers and weekend warriors.On the Blue Trail.

Just when you think you may be alone, along comes a horse cart or a bicycle.

Into the Curmatura Gorge.

Then up through the spruce and larch forest to Cabana Curmatura .

Cabana Curmatura (45.549997, 25.255092 ) with great views to Piatra Craiului Ridge - one of the best in the Carpathian Mountains.

And back down to Zarnesti.

Day Two.

Prejmer Fortfied Church (from the back).

A very serious entrance to the fortifications.

The fortified wall around the church has four floors of rooms where the families of the surrounding villages could shelter during a siege.

The door to room 76.

Most of the rooms are open and you can just wander among them, around, up and down, until you're worn out. ;-)

And you can walk 360 degrees around the battle-ready attic atop the walls.

View of Old Town Brasov from the White Tower.

And from the Black Tower.

St Nicholas Church.

St Catherine's Gate where Romanians had pay a toll to enter the Saxons-only fortified town.

The Synagogue.

Day Three.

The Casino in Sinaia - Definitely still a resort town.

Peles Castle.

Fellow tourists.

Headed up from Peles Castle on the Royal Pathway.

Switchbacks (Serpentines).

Viewpoint (Belvedere).

And a more popular belvedere.

And at 1400 meters there is an alpine meadow with a restaurant with uniformed waiters.

@Ed, there is a ton of hiking around Brasov. We didn't even begin to cover any grounds. Romania has A LOT OF trails. Just today we were recommended a three-part documentary "Wild Romania" which we had missed during our trip research. BTW, the movie "Cold Mountain" which is supposed to take place in NC was filmed on location around Zarnesti.